Question: The graph of the polynomial

$P(x) = x^5 + ax^4 + bx^3 + cx^2 + dx + e$

has five distinct $x$-intercepts, one of which is at $(0,0)$. Which of the following coefficients cannot be zero?

$\textbf{(A)}\ a \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ b \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ c \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ d \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ e$
Solution: Since $P(0) = 0,$ $e = 0.$  Let the other $x$-intercepts be $p,$ $q,$ $r,$ and $s,$ so
\[P(x) = x(x - p)(x - q)(x - r)(x - s).\]Note that $d = pqrs.$  Since the $x$-intercepts are all distinct, $p,$ $q,$ $r,$ and $s$ are all nonzero, so $d$ must be nonzero.  Thus, the answer is $\boxed{\text{(D)}}.$

Any of the other coefficients can be zero.  For example, consider
\[x(x + 2)(x + 1)(x - 1)(x - 2) = x^5 - 5x^3 + 4x\]or
\[x(x + 2)(x - 1)(x - 2)(x - 4) = x^5 - 5x^4 + 20x^2 - 16x.\]